Fandango on 18th Street Liner Notes Download Fandango on 18th Street liner notes in PDF Download liner notes in spanish Download Fandango on 18th Street CD Credits in PDF ______In Mexico, son is a term used to define a large family of regional music and dance styles. Each region has its own brand of son—gusto, son jarocho, son huasteco, etc.—each with its own repertoire, instruments, and dancing and singing style. A fandango is a dance fiesta where son is played and danced, often from sundown until sunrise or longer. It is also a playful time where tradition becomes fluid: rules are made and broken as old forms are applied to new experience. After the fiesta, tradition is passed on quietly, as the events of the fandango crystallize in the memories of the participants, becoming new lore for future resurgence. We call this a living tradition. ______Sones de México is a unique ensemble of seasoned Mexican folk musicians and educators that hails from Chicago, a city that boasts a Mexican community that is quickly nearing one million people. The group formed in 1994 to keep the tradition of Mexican son alive in its many regional forms, true to its roots and old masters, and current and fresh at the same time. Music Director Víctor Pichardo is an award-winning musician, arranger, composer, and educator who came from a 15-year career with the folk group Zazhil and the late singer Amparo Ochoa in Mexico. The rest of the team is formed by world-music drummer and percussionist Raúl Fernández, multi-instrumentalist Renato Cerón, master dancer and musician René Cardoza, and guitarrón player and producer Juan Díes. Gonzalo Córdova, who played with the group for its first six years and participated in the first phase of this recording project, appears throughout the album as a guest singer, guitarist, and requinto player. ______Fandango on 18th Street is a recording project that began in June of 1999 at Alien Soundscapes, Inc., a state-of-the-art multimedia studio, under the able hands of owner Chris Greene and chief engineer Collin Jordan. The studio is located on Chicago’s 18th Street, the main artery of Pilsen, a Mexican neighborhood that is home to a strong community of artists and new immigrants, including, at one point or another, a few members of the band. The intent of the project was to recreate a fandango atmosphere in all its living glory: true to the tradition and at the same time incorporating the group’s experience in the U.S. and the good friends made along the way. The result is a lively collection of all-acoustic, all-danceable songs and medleys that feature regional dance styles of son and a parade of talented guests who enhance the group’s sound in new, unexplored ways. ______The project was completed in October of 2001. The fiesta was long and fruitful and the group’s perspective on son has grown and been enriched by it. The album is illustrated with depictions of a fandango on 18th Street by artists Miguel Cortez (cover) and Rosa María C. Díes (center), and band portraits by photographer Todd Winters, who also shot the popular cover of the group’s first CD. ______Fandango on 18th Street opens with El Butaquito, a son jarocho from Veracruz that sets the mood for the fiesta. The musicians of Sones de México arrive and join the music one by one, starting with a foot-tapping solo by René Cardoza. In the middle of the song, Grupo Mono Blanco from Veracruz makes a special guest appearance. They have been one of the leading proponents of a revival of son jarocho for the past twenty years. This session was recorded during their visit to Chicago in the summer of 1999. ______This is followed by A Mi Nación Mexicana, a ranchera once performed by Los Cantores del Pánuco many years ago. Its polka rhythm makes it easy to dance to. This song cleverly mentions all thirty-one states of the Republic of Mexico—a geography lesson in its own right! The horns, recorded by veteran Chicago bandleader and trumpet player Everardo Rey and woodwind player, globetrotter, and ethnomusicologist Bob Fried, make for an explosive accompaniment that should leave few people sitting down. ______The first medley, Huapangos, explores the son huasteco style of folk dance from the Huasteca region of Mexico. This is probably the most complex arrangement in the album because it explores some universal qualities of son huasteco in uncommon ways. It begins with El Querreque, a picaresque classic, featuring the old custom of breaking for a recited verse. The recitation is done by guest huapango poet and troubadour Guillermo Velázquez, the living champion of this old art form in Mexico, and was recorded during his 1999 visit to Chicago. The medley continues with La Rosita, another classic that is usually played with guitars and fiddles. However, on this occasion it features the additional accompaniment of a classical brass quintet (arranged by Víctor Pichardo), an unusual and almost baroque-sounding addition that works surprisingly well. The guest brass quintet is chaired by John Hagstrom, second trumpet of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and conducted by Venezuelan composer Ricardo Lorenz. Sones de México has collaborated with these musicians for more than four years in a community project called Armonía, a partnership between the CSO and the Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum that uses classical music to build bridges between different cultures, communities and generations. Finally, the climax of this medley leads to a surprise ending with La Lavandera (The Irish Washer Woman), an Irish jig. It features a trio led by fiddler Sean Cleland, who once had invited Sones de México to a series of experimental sessions in a pub with his band at the time, The Drovers, at the prompting of music enthusiast Jim Sloan and other friends from the Irish Music Foundation. Their idea was to explore the parallels between Mexican and Irish music in memory of the San Patricios, an army of anti-expansionist Irish American soldiers who voluntarily joined the Mexicans in fighting the U.S. Army during the Mexican-American War of 1846-1848. Besides finding a common fondness for beer and song, the musicians found that both the jig and the son huasteco were in 6/8 time and that Irish melodies could be played to Mexican rhythms, and the rest is history. ______The next medley, Gustos, features the gusto style of dance from Guerrero with its characteristic 6/8 waltzy feel. The compositions by Isaías Salmerón and Agustín Ramírez are old classics from the early 1900s, but the idea for the arrangement came from an undocumented tape that Víctor Pichardo picked up at a truck stop somewhere in Guerrero. The band on the tape, believed to be La Furia, plays this song—like so many other modern groups from the region today—not with the traditional brass bandas, but with synthesizers and electric bass and guitars instead. From this model, Ricardo Lorenz arranged the music for the traditional brass accompaniment and once again conducted the fabulous guest brass quintet for the recording. Guest percussionists and friends Gabriela Luna and Rubén Alvarez join Sones de México to add a more danceable beat. ______The Polkas and Boleros that follow were recorded by Jack Le Tourneau at Paragon, a legendary Chicago studio where locals such as Styx and Buddy Guy once made world-famous recordings in the 1970s. The recording approach for these two songs was slightly different from the rest of this album. All the musicians recorded simultaneously, separated by sound barricades. Later, some instruments and the vocals were overdubbed at Alien Soundscapes. For example, the bass line in the polkas is quite elaborate, especially for a guitarrón to play, but the tone was so low that it didn’t come through as a distinctive melody. A twelve-string guitar was overdubbed duplicating every note that the bass line played, but in a higher register. The result brought the bass line to the forefront, weaving it in as a counter-melody to the accordion and vocals. The lyric content in the polkas is your run-of-the-mill unrequited love songs. Caminos de Michoacán, however, takes an interesting spin by mentioning almost every major city and town in Michoacán, as the author searches for a lost love in every corner of the state. The bolero Que Nos Entierren Juntos also offers a unique spin on love by asking that "if we die, let us be buried together, in the same coffin, so that we may relish our love for eternity," a dreary though quite romantic thought. ______Next is Tributo a Buck Owens (Tribute to Buck Owens), dedicated to a Country & Western singer/songwriter from Bakersfield, California, who belongs to a wave of so-called "surfin’ cowboys" who presumably never rode horses. Owens took an alternative approach to C&W in the 1960s, when he first achieved widespread popularity. In recent years, he has experienced a resurgence in popularity, if not a cult following, among "alternative country" fans. In 1999, Chicago guitarist John T. Rice invited Sones de México and other local musicians, who were not all known as Country music artists, to play a song at an annual concert that was celebrated on Owens’ birthday at Schuba’s Tavern. Sones de México chose two: Before You Go and Act Naturally. The latter was also popularized by The Beatles and sung by Ringo Starr in their album Help. Both were arranged and translated to Spanish by Juan Díes; the first was set to a son huasteco rhythm and the second to a cumbia rhythm. John T. Rice was invited to record a dobro (slide guitar) part to add a Country "twang" to the tribute. The songs are upbeat and catchy, with a "novelty song" feel to them, and they should prove especially entertaining to those who are familiar with Buck Owens’ original versions. ______Tres Veces Heroica is a son montuno praising the Black people of the state of Veracruz, who despite being an often shunned racial minority have been the first to fight the three major invasions of Mexico by the Spaniards, the French, and the Americans. The song features some piano work by Ricardo Lorenz, who calls-and-responds in counterpoint to the traditional harp and requinto; a muted trumpet solo by Everardo Rey; and a sung décima by David Haro, excerpted from his composition Mozambique. David Haro, one of the most celebrated songwriters of the Mexican underground, is a champion of the so-called "third root," the African cultural legacy in Mexico. Haro was not able to record in Chicago, so in the summer of 2001, through the magic of digital studio technology, he added his singing voice to the song at Estudio Agua Escondida in Mexico City, owned and engineered by Ramón Sánchez. ______Chun-Chaca is not a formal name for a music genre; folk musicians in Veracruz use this onomatopoeic term lightheartedly, and sometimes pejoratively, to refer to "tropical" rhythms, particularly those derived from cumbia, which are not part of the region’s tradition but have become an important part of popular dance fiestas. This medley shows that even in an old son jarocho in 4/4 time, like El Ahualulco or El Tilingo Lingo, one can find chun-chaca characteristics that can work quite well in a fandango. For example, El Tilingo Lingo, arranged by Renato Cerón, shows that a chun-chaca rhythm can be easily danced in the traditional zapateado style. Furthermore, to prove that cumbia can work seamlessly in the company of this kind of son jarocho, Juan Díes proposed including La Sirenita, a song popularized by Rigo Tovar, one of the best-known Mexican cumbia artists from the Gulf Coast and also one hardly associated with folk traditions. To bridge the gap, Víctor Pichardo gave the introduction a flavor of Colombia, where cumbia is folk, and Raúl Fernández gave the chorus a Caribbean tumba’o feel, which guest percussionists Rubén Alvarez and Gabriela Luna ran home with, helping to make it danceable as a salsa. As a result, the medley flows with seamless continuity despite the variety of styles presented. ______The grand finale is Mariachi, a medley of quintessential Mexican classics: Jarabe Tapatío (with a clever inclusion of La Cucaracha); Son de la Negra (with a slightly different arrangement that references the son planeco folk version that preceded the Silvestre Vargas standard); and Cielito Lindo (in a merry, sing-along version). All the trumpets were recorded by guest player Jack Cassidy, who added a little Tijuana flavor to the mix. ______This brings Fandango on 18th Street to a close. The musicians begin to take their leave after a long and intense fiesta that will be long remembered, for it was shared with such good company. At the end of the night, everyone leaves the studio and the master tapes are left resting on the machine waiting to see the light of day. Who knows how these sounds will crystallize in the minds of those who listened, and in what form a new fandango may emerge at some future time? Juan Díes Chicago, November 2001 Credits Produced by Juan Díes (in collaboration with Sones de México, and Chris Greene) Music Director: Víctor Pichardo Digitally recorded, mixed and mastered at ASI Studios, Chicago by Chris Greene and Collin Jordan. Additional recording at Paragon Studios, Chicago, by Jack LeTourneau and Estudio Agua Escondida, Mexico City, by Ramón Sánchez Band Photos by Todd Winters Cover artwork by Miguel Cortez Inside artwork by Rosa María C. Díes Graphic design by Alienarts © 2002 Sones de México, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This program is partially sponsored by a City Arts Program 2 grant from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. [1] El Butaquito (3’47) (trad.) (arr. by V. Pichardo) (words sung by SdM written by J. Díes) René Cardoza—zapateado Renato Cerón—vocals Juan Díes—guitarrón, vocals Raúl Fernández—drums, donkey jaw Víctor Pichardo—jarana, vocals special guests: Gonzalo Córdova—requinto jarocho Grupo Mono Blanco: Gilberto Gutiérrez—vocals, jarana, tresera Octavio Vega—harp César Castro—vocals, león Andrés Vega—requinto jarocho [2] A Mi Nación Mexicana (3’53) (E. Rocha) (arr. by V. Pichardo) Juan Díes—guitarrón, vocals Raúl Fernández—drums, wood block special guests: Gonzalo Córdova—guitar, vocals Bob Fried—soprano sax, tenor sax, clarinet Everardo Rey—trumpets [3] Huapangos (6’47) El Querreque1 (Pedro Rosas) (arr. and words sung by SdM by J. Díes) La Rosita2 (trad.) (brass arr. and words by V. Pichardo) La Lavandera (Irish Washer Woman)3 (trad. Irish jig) (words by Juan Díes) René Cardoza—vihuela Renato Cerón—violin, vocals1 Juan Díes—guitarrón, huapanguera, vocals1 & 3 Raúl Fernández—drums Víctor Pichardo—violin, vocals2 special guests: Guillermo Velázquez1—original recitation brass quintet2[Ricardo Lorenz, conductor] John Hagstrom—first trumpet Don Sipe—second trumpet Peter Jirousek—French horn James Gilbertsen—trombone Rex Martin—tuba Irish ensemble3: Pat Broaders—whistle, Uilleann pipes Jimmy Keane—accordion Sean Cleland—Irish fiddle [4] Gustos (6’17) (brass arr. by Ricardo Lorenz) Tlapehuala (Isaías Salmerón) El Pañuelo (Isaías Salmerón) Linaloe (J. Agustín Ramírez) René Cardoza—vihuela Renato Cerón—violin, harp, vocals Juan Díes—guitarrón, vocals Raúl Fernández—drums, cowbell Víctor Pichardo—violin, vocals special guests: brass quintet: [Ricardo Lorenz, conductor] John Hagstrom—first trumpet Don Sipe—second trumpet Peter Jirousek—French horn James Gilbertsen—trombone Rex Martin—tuba Gabriela Luna—congas Rubén Alvarez—additional cowbell Gonzalo Córdova—guitar Chris Greene—violin stunt double [5] Polkas (7’49) (arr. by V. Pichardo) Flor de Capomo (Francisco Aldaco) Y Por Esa Calle Vive (Alfonso Esparza Oteo) Caminos de Michoacán (Bulmaro Bermúdez) BMG Songs, Inc. (ASCAP). All Rights Reserved. Used by permission. René Cardoza—vihuela Renato Cerón—accordion, vocals Juan Díes—guitarrón, 12-string guitar, vocals Raúl Fernández—drums Victor Pichardo—vocals special guest: Gonzalo Córdova—lead vocal, guitar [6] Boleros (6’15) (arr. by V. Pichardo) Que Nos Entierren Juntos (Juan Alvarez de la Cruz) EMI Blackwood Music, Inc. (SACEM). All Rights Reserved. Used by permission. Libro Abierto (Fidel Avalos Valadez) EMI Blackwood Music, Inc. (ASCAP). All Rights Reserved. Used by permission. René Cardoza—vihuela Renato Cerón—accordion, vocals Juan Díes—guitarrón, guitar, vocals Raúl Fernández—drums Victor Pichardo—vocals special guests: Gonzalo Córdova—lead vocal Rubén Alvarez—güiro, congas, and cowbell [7] Tributo a Buck Owens (4’46) (arr. and transl. by J. Díes) Before You Go (Buck Owens/Don Rich) Tree Publishing Company (BMI). All Rights Reserved. Used by permission. Act Naturally (John B. Russell/Voni Morrison) Tree Publishing Company (BMI). All Rights Reserved. Used by permission. René Cardoza—vihuela Renato Cerón—accordion Juan Díes—guitarrón, vihuela, vocals Raúl Fernández—drums, woodblock, cowbell Víctor Pichardo—violin special guests: John T. Rice—dobro Gonzalo Córdova—guitarra huapanguera Rubén Alvarez—congas [8] Tres Veces Heroica (5’05) (Charles Driguez Valadez) (arr. by V. Pichardo) with a décima of Mozambique (written and performed by David Haro) All Rights Reserved. Used by permission. René Cardoza—güiro Renato Cerón—harp Juan Díes—guitarrón, vocals Raúl Fernández—bongos, clave, cowbell Víctor Pichardo—jarana, guitar special guests: Gonzalo Córdova—vocals, requinto jarocho David Haro—vocals on "Mozambique." Ricardo Lorenz—piano Rubén Alvarez—maracas Everardo Rey—muted trumpet solo [9] Chun-Chacas (7’40) (arr by V. Pichardo, R. Fernández, R. Cerón) El Ahualulco (trad.) La Sirenita (Tributo a Rigo Tovar) (Jaime Ignacio Penunuri) Peer International Corp. (BMI) All Rights Reserved. Used by permission. El Tilingo Lingo (Lino Carrillo) (words by R. Cerón) René Cardoza—güiro, zapateado Renato Cerón—harp, accordion, vocals Juan Díes—guitarrón, requinto jarocho, vocals Raúl Fernández—drums, clave, pandero Víctor Pichardo—jarana, vocals special guests: Gabriela Luna—congas, cowbell Rubén Alvarez—timbales, woodblock Gonzalo Córdova—requinto jarocho [10] Mariachi (7’33) (arr. J. Díes and V. Pichardo) Jarabe Tapatío/La Cucaracha (trad.) Son de la Negra (trad.) Cielito Lindo (Quirino Mendoza) René Cardoza—vihuela Renato Cerón—violin, vocals Juan Díes—guitarrón, vocals Raúl Fernández—drums Víctor Pichardo—violin, guitar, vocals special guests: Gonzalo Córdova—vocals Jack Cassidy—trumpets